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Longacre Expeditions teen group rescued from the snowdrifts above Todd Lake

 
MEDIA RELEASE
Outdoor Youth Group Rescued
Area above Todd Lake FS RD 370/Happy Valley

Organization: Longacre Expeditions, Newport, PA 17074
Counselor: Wimsett, Sam W/M 28 yoa, Neosho, MO 64850
Counselor: Campbell, Sara W/F 22 yoa, State College, PA 16801

On 7/6/06 at about 2000 hours the Deschutes County Sheriffs Search and Rescue Unit, and the US Forest Service, was notified of a group of mountain bike riders, ranging in ages from 14 to 17, that were lost in the area above Todd Lake.

Volunteers responded to the area and began searching on ATV’s along the 370 Road from the Todd Lake Junction and from the 4601 Road above the Skyliners-Bear Wallow Butte area. Two local citizens assisted with the use of their snowmobiles in transporting a SAR volunteer into the area. AirLife was requested to assist in locating the group, which was beginning to experience initial stages of hypothermia.

About midnight AirLife spotted the group near Happy Valley and directed the searchers to their location. Mt Bachelor provided a sno-cat to assist in hauling in blankets/sleeping bags and tents and brought out one of the members who was experiencing severe cold related symptoms.

The remainder of the group remained with the SAR Volunteers, who built a fire and dried their clothing, deeming it safer to warm the group overnight and bring them out in the morning. A U.S. Forest Service Trail Crew, along with the SAR Volunteers, transported the group out on ATV’s at about 0900 hours this morning.

Investigation revealed that the group of two adult counselors and eleven youths, ranging from all over the United States, had rented mountain bikes at a local outlet and left Bend about 0930 am, 7/6/06, riding up Skyliners Road to the 4601 Road and then to the 370 Road, en-route to the Todd Lake area where they planned to camp. The group encountered snowdrifts on the bicycle trail and moved to the 370 Road, which was also snow covered, and lost the route.

They realized they needed assistance and used their cell phone to notify the rest of the group at Todd Lake, who in turn notified 911 Dispatch. Volunteers were able to maintain cell phone contact with the group intermittingly throughout the search. The group did have the required equipment for the adventure, i.e.: an altimeter, contour map, compass and signaling device (Cell Phone), but was not prepared for the winter like conditions and darkness.
BY: Sgt Dan Swearingen

Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office
63333 Highway 20 West, Bend, Oregon 97701

Maptech's Terrain Navigator print out of the Forest Service seasonal 370 Road leading south west from the vicinity of Happy Valley.
The red line shows our previous 4 x 4 exploration just last summer. The black lines mark the one kilometer UTM grid.
Note that GPS UTM waypoint 370MAZ (the junction of the 370 road with the mountain bike trail)
is located at (Zone 10) 612,393 meters E (of the west edge of Zone 10) and 4,879,280 meters N (of the Equator). (NAD27 datum).

It is very easy to locate your position within a few meters with a $99.00 GPS such as the Garmin eTrex and a proper map with the UTM Grid.

What can be learned from this event?
Here is the web based current  USFS Report on Trail Conditions. In part, the Report notes that that upper elevation trails are snow covered and that the 370 Road would not be open for several weeks: "Weather forecast for the next week on the Deschutes National Forest is calling for mostly clear skies with temperatures in the upper thirties/forties to mid seventies and eighties. Keep in mind that last week we had severe thunderstorms pass through the area and we are in the thunderstorm season. If caught out in severe thunder storms, seek appropriate cover for wind, lightning and hail/rain and be aware of possible flooding."

"The warmer/sunny weather will keep the spring thaw moving along at a steady pace resulting in improved trail access from a snow standpoint over the next week. Snow yet blocks many of the mid elevation (5,600 – 6,000 ft.) recreation sites and/or trails, and the higher elevations (above 6000 ft.) are mostly under snow. Keep in mind that many of the Forest's Wilderness trails are above 5,000 ft. in elevation and presently 85% snow covered. The speed at which the snow is melting is increasing; but keep in mind that we yet have 4-7 ft. of snow depth in areas like South, Middle and North Sister, Green Lakes, Broken Top, Mt. Washington, Mt. Jefferson, and Diamond Peak. It may not be until late July that all Wilderness Trails are snow free."

Waypoint 370MAZ is at about 6,300 feet. The point where the 370 Road crosses Tumalo Creek above Happy Valley is at about 6,500 feet. The junction of the 370 Road and the 380 Road to the Broken Top Trail Head is at about 6,900. These points are all well above the reported snow line.

We wonder why the track in the snow left by the large group of teens could not be re-traced in the snow. (It would have been all down-hill back to a nice dinner in Bend!)

Our guess is that the young Longacre Expeditions Guides had a copy of a local mountain bike map which does not have the UTM Grid. They did not have a GPS, which for $99.00, will give the user simple number coordinates with which to pin point their location. A $6.00 USGS Quad map and simple GPS would have avoided this rescue. It should be noted that the USFS Deschutes National Forest FREE winter and summer trail maps have accurate contours and the UTM Grid. An altimeter is not very useful, particularly if it is not adjusted often at known elevations. A compass will not help you find yourself in the woods with identifiable points obscured by trees. Also, the magnetic declination in Bend is 17 degrees, a fact not noted on most local Mountain Bike maps that I have seen. How do you use your map, compass and GPS together?

We note that the group DID NOT have the required equipment for their adventure. The so called "Ten Essentials", easily carried in a small backpack by each mountain biker, include extra clothing, shelter, food and water and fire starting ability and more small items. Ten Essential Systems.

Had the Guides left a Responsible Person with instructions to call 911 if the group did not check in at a definite time? We would guess not. What would have happened if the Cell Phone batteries were exhausted or if there was not cell tower signal? Basic Responsibilities.

One individual was "experiencing severe cold related symptoms". What would have happened if a thunderstorm had stuck that evening? Fast moving lightening, hail and heavy rain storms are common in the evenings in these mountains. Many in the group would have suffered more from Hypothermia.

Note: We have contacted Longacre Expeditions of Newport, PA, several times by telephone for several days after the rescue Report was released by the Sherriff, however, we have not been able to speak to a person at Longacre who would tell us more about the circumstances of their lost teen adventure group.
--Webmeister Speik

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Mountain climbing has inherent dangers that can, only in part, be mitigated

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